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Dena (Drizin)Schusterman

@denads

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Me, Wife, Momma to 8, & Babi to👦🏼👦🏼👶👶
Lamplighter~Writer~Thinker
A🚧 in progress. Capturing the little stuff while processing the big stuff ☕️

POSTS STORIES REELS TAGGED

Some stories are beautiful. Some are complicated. Most are both.

In this conversation with Dena Schusterman, we talk about the stories we inherit, survival patterns passed across generations, and telling the truth without sanding off the hard parts. Dena’s book, Stories Carry, began with her father’s stories and grew into an exploration of her own family, faith, and tradition.

I keep coming back to this: we can love our families and still name what hurt. We can value what a tradition gave us while being honest about what it cost. Holding both doesn’t make the story less true. It makes room for the whole thing.

Listen to “More Than One Truth” on Clemenz With a “Z.”

#ClemenzWithAZ #StoriesCarry #FaithAndFamily #FamilyStories #HoldingBoth

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𝕋𝕙𝕒𝕟𝕜𝕗𝕦𝕝 𝕋𝕙𝕦𝕣𝕤𝕕𝕒𝕪

Sometimes a book comes along that surprises you in the most wonderful way, and The Stories We Carry by Dena Schusterman was one of those books for me.

I originally received an advance reader’s copy from Dena Schusterman and GetPR, and I absolutely loved it. Imagine my delight when Dena kindly arranged to have a physical copy sent to me I truly appreciate it as I want to be able to share the book with my mom and want to a copy.

What touched me most was the warmth, kindness, and humanity woven throughout her stories. I actually found myself slowing down halfway through the book because I didn’t want it to end!

This is a book about family, faith, community, kindness, and the stories that shape who we become. You don’t have to be Jewish to appreciate the beautiful messages woven throughout it.

Thank you, Dena, for sharing your family’s stories.

ʜᴀᴠᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ᴇᴠᴇʀ ʀᴇᴀᴅ ᴀ ʙᴏᴏᴋ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴍᴀᴅᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ꜰᴇᴇʟ ʟɪᴋᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ᴘᴇʀꜱᴏɴᴀʟʟʏ ᴋɴᴇᴡ ᴛʜᴇ ᴀᴜᴛʜᴏʀ?

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Great to meet Dena and thank you for signing my copy of your new book 😊

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I’m so proud of my friend Dena Schusterman. Her book Stories Carry is out now and I couldn’t put it down.
Creativity is how our stories travel. Go read it and let’s support each other.
#StoriesCarry #DenaSchusterman #BookLaunch #Memoir #Chabad

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Dena Schusterman’s Stories Carry is different from many books I’ve read. It’s her memoir of being Chabad Lubavitz, growing up in Berkeley the daughter of Chabad emissary and then married in Atlanta where she and her husband are as well.
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I especially enjoyed the stories from the past. Both stories of her relatives and their time in Europe before immigrating to the US. As well as her childhood in Berkeley in the 70s. (I found that interesting especially since my dad was at school at Berkeley in the 70s and couldn’t help but wonder if he ever wound up at their Chabad House.) I thought the story of the public Hanukkah lighting, possibly the first, was especially intriguing.
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The book seemed to expect a base level of understanding going in. And while certain items I knew and understood I wish there was more background given. Yes, there was a glossary at the end, but I was some of those topics had been more intertwined.
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Overall it was an interesting look into a world different than my everyday, and I enjoyed the time I spent there!
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{Thanks to @getredprbooks for my copy for review!}

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September Reads!
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Yes, September flew by and was packed full of all the things. A diverse selection of books for the months, including a couple I really enjoyed.
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A Diary of the Plague Year by Elise Engler* - Speaking of time passing quickly it’s crazy how long ago Covid was since it feels like yesterday. This whole book and its illustrations was such a flashback from that time.
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When You Love Me by Beatriz Williams - This was our book club book, nominated by me. I got to meet the author at our local bookstore last month, and enjoyed reading remembering what she said on her inspirations writing the book. Overall really enjoyed both the present day bits and flashbacks to the past. A bit mystery, a bit romance, it had all the things.
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Stories Carry by Dena Schusterman* - A memoir of growing up the daughter of a Chabad rabbi in Berkeley in the 1970s. I have thoughts on this, and hope to write more!
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I Am You by Victoria Redel* - A historical fiction inspired by female painters living in Amsterdam in the 1600s. This book was unlike others I’ve read, and I’m still reeling from parts of it.
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Dolly All the Time by Annabel Monaghan - I already posted about this, but it was easily my favorite of the month.
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The Secret of the Mansion by Julie Campbell - this was our #NostalgicKidLitClub selection of the month. I never read the Trixie Beldden books growing up and enjoyed this one a lot more than I expected.
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The Parker Inheritance by Vatican Johnson - The modern day companion to Trixie Beldon. Also, really enjoyed this one and its mystery along with the impact of segregation on today.
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*Thanks to the publisher for my copies of these books!

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What I’ve been reading this week! 📚✡️

I haven’t had a ton of time for reading lately, but I’m slowly making my way through my TBR. And with this many good Jewish books waiting for me, choosing what to read next might be the hardest part. 😂

Currently reading:
🪻 The Book of Magic by Alice Hoffman @ahoffmanwriter
📚 Between Chapters by Zibby Owens @zibbyowens @zibbypublishing

On my TBR:
✡️ The Final Solution to the Jewish Problem by Dara Horn
👱‍♀️ White. Blond. Jew. by Alyssa Rosenheck @alyssarosenheck
🧳 Stories Carry by Dena Schusterman @denads
🇮🇱 Almost True by Tal Shalev @talshalev

Which one should I pick up next? And what are you reading this week?

#JewishBooks #JewishAuthors #CurrentlyReading #WhatImReading #bookrecs

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Thank you @getredprbooks for sending me a copy of Stories Carry by Dena Schusterman. This memoir is about the author's life growing up as a Chabad emissary in Berkeley, CA and her current position in Atlanta, GA with her husband and 8 kids. The book is ultimately about she and her husband being fired from their official position and their choice about whether to fight for their job back, but it also includes stories from throughout the author’s life.

I liked reading about the author’s personal history, including that of her grandparents and the generations that held onto religion over time. I think she did a good job of explaining various religious customs and showing how Chabad is able to interact with all types of Jewish people. I would have liked to be able to better understand the devout following of a leader, as it is explained that the Rebbe is deeply admired, but I still did not truly understand that admiration.

Do you have family stories that are passed along through the generations?

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By Dena Schusterman @denads,

STORIES CARRY is an intimate memoir about faith, family, belonging, and the stories we inherit.

Raised by Chabad emissaries in 1970s Berkeley and now a shlucha and mother of eight in Atlanta, Schusterman reflects on her own journey between Hasidic tradition and modern life.

Through personal stories of family, community, doubt, identity, and faith, she offers a warm and honest glimpse into a life shaped by tradition—while making room for individuality, humor, and change.

#oct7books #jewishlife #bookstagram #newbooks

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Drowning in good books is a good problem to have. 📚😂

Between new Jewish book releases and ARCs of books coming soon, my TBR is getting a little out of control. But with this many great reads on my hands, the real question is: where do I start?!

Books featured:

✡️ The Final Solution to the Jewish Problem by Dara Horn
👱‍♀️ White. Blond. Jew. by @alyssarosenheck
🧳 Stories Carry by Dena Schusterman @denads
🇮🇱 Almost True by Tal Shalev @talshalev
📚 Between Chapters by Zibby Owens @zibbyowens @zibbypublishing

New Jewish books, Israeli authors, essays, memoirs, and stories I cannot wait to dive into. 💙📚

Which one should I read first?

#JewishBooks #JewishAuthors #NewBooks #BookRecommendations #JewishLiterature

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“Stories Carry” by Dena Schusterman ( @denads ) is one of those books that brings so many people together through personal experience, faith, tradition, and family history.

I am so proud of Dena for sharing her and her family’s story with us and that her memoir is making its waves around the world.

I love when writers’ works not only impact us from the page, but also our actual lives and Dena and “Stories Carry” do just that.

(p.s. And to be completely biased, im grateful that Dena and her family call Atlanta, Georgia HOME)

cc: @merceruniversitypress

#ATLReads #DenaSchusterman #StoriesCarry #Memoir

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Taking a break from book promoting to start Dena Schusterman’s newly-released memoir, Stories Carry. A funny internet glitch introduced us to each other, and I am so grateful for the review copy!

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